Floral garland and clip



April 6, 1965 J. c. WASZKIEWICZ, JR 3,177,108

FLORAL GARLAND AND CLIP Original Filed April 18, 1960 INVENTOR JOHN C.WASZKIEWICZ JR BY WWO BY United States Patent 3,177,108 FLORAL GARLANDAND CLIP John Chester Waszkiewicz, Jr., Middle Settlement Road, NewHartford, N.Y.

Original application Apr. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 23,099. Divided and thisapplication Nov. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 238,321

1 Claim. (Cl. 161-27) and securely receive a natural flower therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flower clipfor use in a floral arrangement that may be simply and easily formedabout at least a portion of the flower to securely fasten it therein andwhich may be readily and simply formed about a portion of the floralarrangement frame to secure the assembly thereto.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide afloral arrangement clip structure that may be utilized to form aninfinite variety of bouquets, corsages 'and the like by relativelyunskilled labor in a minimum of time.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with 'the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view partially broken away of a rosary pieceemploying a clip according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail view of a flower clip of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view of the crimping die for forming theclip of FIGURE 2 about the cord of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of another flower clipaccording to the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary detailed view of the attachment of the clip ofFIGURE 4 to a cord member;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a strip of sheet metal showing the varioussteps of formation of the clip of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation partially in section of a flower framestrip according to the present invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of one of the clips of FIGURE 6.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, a metalized thread braid of asilver or gold color is used for the covering of the wire 55 and theflower receptacles or clips 52 are colored to correspond. The embodimentshown in FIGURE 1 consists of a rosary piece 50 in which the cross andcertain of the beads 51 are augmented or replaced by flowers which maybe simply and readily placed in the clips 52, as may be seen moreclearly in FIGURE 2. In this embodiment the main frame comprises a cord54 which is formed from a central supporting wire 55 of fairly lightgauge covered with a braided metallic thread sleeve 56 to give adecorative and finished appearance to the frame of the rosaryarrangement.

The clips 52 are formed from a single piece of aluminum or othersatisfactory metal and after being formed in the general shape shownhave the lower necks 53 thereof crimped about the cord 54 to securelyfix them to the cord so that, when the open upper portion is pinchedabout a stem or calyx of a flower, the flower will be securely 3,l77,108Patented Apr. 6, 1965 'ice fastened to the rosary garland. The clipshave a sort of inverted Wigwam or cone shape portion'57 with an openingalong one side of approximately one-fourth to onethird of the surfacearea. The bottom of the clips 52 taper to a channel 53 which in FIGURE 1is crimped about the cord 54 This forms a secure attachment to the cordand ensures proper fastening of the flowers to the frame. The cord 54 issufficiently flexible to permit its bending around the Wigwam or coneportion 57 of the clip or the clip may be fastened to the flower withthe cord therein as desired. As will be seen herein, the channel-shapedneck serves also as a stiffening element.

The upper lip of the cone portion 57 carries on opposite sides thereoffour inturned teeth 59 which penetrate the flower calyx, stem, etc.,when the receptacles is pinched thereabout. The teeth 59 aid in the firmretention of the flower within the clip receptacle.

The rosary piece 50 comprises a circle of five segments of cord 54having thereon five clips 52 joined together with a pearlized bead 51. Asuitable cross is hung from the loop by a piece of cord 54 having threeclips 52 thereon. The florist can then simply complete the piece byinserting roses or other flowers in the clips. The cord 54 is flexibleenough so that the piece may be draped as desired about the casket orthe like in a pleasing and natural manner yet rigid enough to maintainthe desired form.

It has been found that with the clips of FIGURES 1 and 2 closer spacingon the cord can be obtained where it is desired to place a larger numberof flowers for special effects. In addition to forming a rosary frame50, as shown in FIGURE 1, this technique may be used to form an endlesslength of cord with a plurality of clips thereon so that the florist maythen merely cut off any desired length he wishes for the particularapplication.

Referring now to FIGURE 4 there is shown a further modification of theclip of FIGURE 2 in which the individual clips 52' are longer and have asmall tail 58 at the bottom thereof for use as will be described herein.The clips of FIGURES 2 and 4 are formed from a blank or strip 61 ofsheet metal, as shown in FIGURE 6. They are sequentially formed by firstcutting out the right hand half of the flat blank; second, cutting theleft hand half; third, bending up the teeth 59' and forming the coneportion 57 into a curved W form as shown in FIGURE 8; and then, finally,forming it up into the circular configuration by closing it inapproximately two-hundredand-seventy degrees and cutting it from theguide srip 60 at the bottom. Teeth 59 are turned up from the blank 61 atan angle of approximately ninety degrees so they will actually piercethe calyx when the formed clip is pinched thereabout. In this form thechannel neck portion 53' is interposed between the Wigwam portion 57'and tail 58 to stiffen and strengthen the attaching area of the clip.Thus, when the clip is pinched about a flower it forms a rigidconnect-ion with the tab 58 at the bottom which tab may then be bent andformed around the floral arrangement frame member or the cord as inFIGURE 5. This forms, in effect, a universal clip that may be simply andeasily attached to any type of basic frame.

In manufacturing this clip a soft aluminum, such as 1100-0 and .016thick has been found satisfactory. This type of aluminum is soft andeasy to work and is workhardenable. The forming process, as describedabove, is designed to harden the aluminum so that when it comes out inthe final form, as shown in FIGURE 4, it has sufficient strength andcreep resistance so as to securely It should be particularly noted thatan inverse curve 62 is formed in. the .blankbetween the two sides of theWigwam to provide a little extra work hardening in this area. Since theclip bends mostly along this line when pinched about a calyx, this extrawork hardening enshown .in a somewhat triangular cross-section, is apoly-.

ethylene or other plastic covering 74. Covering 74 may be tinted to anappropriate green or other color. Positioned closely adjacent to thedeformable wire 72 are the bottom tabs 80 of a plurality of clips 76.Clips 76 are spaced at varying intervals-along the wire and have at.

. 4 a covering plastic material, of course, covers all attachments andprovides a smooth, attractive'appearancesimulating the stemof a floweror bouquet;

While there are given above certain specific examples of this inventionand its application in practical use, it should be understood that theyare not intended to be exhaustive or ;to be limiting of; the invention;On'the contrary, these illustrations and explanations herein are givenin order; to acquaint others skilled in the art withthis'invention-and'the principles thereof and a suitable manner of itsapplication in practical use, so that others skilled in the art may beenabled to modify the invention and to adapt andapply it in numerousforms each as may least the lower portion of tabs 80 encased within themolded plastic. The clips 76 are essentially the same as the clips ofthe embodiment of FIGURE 4 and, in the form illustrated, have the tab80' extending down into the plastic material and the ears 82 on the tab80 extending It is thus an easy matter for a florist to take a plastic.

covered wire frame 70 such as shown in FIGURE 7 and place roses or otherflowers in the clips and bend the clips and frame somewhat to'form apleasing bouquet. A small handle or other attachment may be madefrom end84 of the frame portion, if desired,'and a few fill flowers and ribbonmay be added to complete the corsage. This provides a very simple,inexpensive. and yethighly practical frame for a small bouquet. includesthe bendable wire 72 it can be formed into .any shape desired and willhold its shape. desired, one or two may be out off or the frame itselfcan be shortened by cutting off the undesired portion.

In this same embodiment it should be understood, of

. course, that the tab 80 could be wrapped around the wire if additionalstrength is required for particular applicationsprior to the melding ofthe covering material.

Since the frame 70 If fewer clips are The be best suited'to therequirement of a particular use.

What is claimed is: g

A garland support comprising a thin elongated flexible stem-like cordmember, a plurality. of clip elements for securing natural flowers onsaid cord in a predetermined arrangement, each of said clips comprisinga hollow manually deformable sheet metal body having a narrow tubularneck portion at one end to encircle and grip the elongated cord memberwhich passes continuously therethrough, said clipv body flaringconically outwardly from said neck portion and,'priorto engagement. witha flower, having the configurationof the major portion of a hollow conepartially open along a sector of the. cone from the neck portion to thefree outer end of the body, said body having two sets of inwardlyturned. flower-engage ing teeth at its free outer end on opposite sidesof said open sector whereby it can :be manually pinched'together about aportion of aflowerinto a substantially closed conical configuration soas to fix the flower on the cord.

- References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS EARL M. BERGERT,Primary Examiner. JACOB H. .STEINBERG, Examiner.

